"Not this dream again," Alex muttered, his right palm pressed against his sweaty forehead. The vivid memory of his conversation with his father twelve years ago, moments before his father's tragic death in a gang fight between rival factions, haunted him.
The incident had sent shockwaves through the stronghold as the use of guns, which were normally prohibited for civilians, marked the severity of the clash. Numerous lives were lost that fateful night, including Alex's father.
Thankfully, the culprits did not escape justice. The soldiers from the inner region swiftly arrived to dispense punishment, ensuring the perpetrators met their demise. The night of the fight left behind a trail of destruction, revealing a stark contrast between the actions of the core and inner region inhabitants, who seemed indifferent to the plight of those in the outer region, and their underlying dependence on them.
The outer region, populated by individuals who could be employed for labour, held a practical value despite the apparent disregard.
Rising from his bed, which had become exclusively his since he became an orphan, Alex navigated his way to the bathroom, feeling the stickiness clinging to his body from a restless sleep.
Like most buildings in the outer region, Alex's house consisted of two rooms—a shared bedroom and living area, accompanied by a modest bathroom. There was also a small store, though it hardly qualified as a separate room.
While the living arrangement was far from ideal for a family, Alex found solace in its simplicity, for he had no family of his own.
Before opening the wooden door leading to the bathroom, Alex quickly discarded his boxer and tossed it into a bucket situated nearby. The bucket was already brimming with Alex's soiled clothes, and he realised that the day for laundry was fast approaching as there was hardly any room left.
"Isabella will give me an earful if she sees this," Alex mumbled with a wry smile, reminiscing about the face of the woman he had shared an intimate moment with for the first time.
Alex stepped into the bathroom, unclothed, preparing for his bath.
Prior to entering, Alex stole a glance at the generational ancestral clock hanging on the wall, confirming that it was already well into the morning. Despite the curtains not being drawn, the living room and bedroom were still bathed in daylight.
According to their arrangement from the previous day, he was supposed to meet up with Isabella by 10 AM, and the current time was 8:44 AM, so he still had some time to spare.
After taking a few minutes to cleanse his body and clear his mind, Alex emerged from the bathroom, still in the nude, and proceeded to his room to dry off and get dressed.
As usual, he would have breakfast at Isabella's place.
Ever since her father's passing, leaving her an orphan, Alex and Isabella had essentially considered themselves a couple after sharing the night together, though due to various circumstances, their relationship had not yet been formally established.
Isabella's mother, like Alex's mother, tragically passed away during childbirth. It was a circumstance that was all too common in the outer region, where medical facilities were lacking.
Unlike the inner region, blessed with advanced hospitals and access to medicines, or the rumoured presence of healers with magical abilities in the core region, giving birth in the outer region was a perilous affair, far from ideal.
This harsh reality extended beyond childbirth, as illnesses often claimed the lives of individuals in the outer region, including Isabella's father. Although her father managed to live longer than Alex's, both men ultimately met the same fate—their bodies being burnt to ashes to prevent corruption and transformation into monsters.
Unlike his ignorant 6-year-old self, Alex had gained some knowledge about the world through public lessons in the outer region taught to children from ages 10 to 12.
The public education system allowed only two years of schooling, a short period compared to the past.
The education was basic but crucial, as survival became mankind's primary concern after the ruination. In this era where pre-ruination technology was lost, being able to read, speak, and calculate well was a prized skill even if they paled in comparison to the education of the elites in the core and inner regions and was at most on par with the elite servants.
Ironically, parents in the outer region sent their children to public school with hopes that their achievements would open doors to the inner region, offering a chance for their families to escape the outer region's confines and live among the elites.
Life in the outer region wasn't exactly good, though it was better than being an outcast outside the wall gates. Humans were always driven to seek more.
The inner region had everything the outer region lacked: automobiles, advanced healthcare, better security against internal issues and the corrupted, and superior facilities for a comfortable life.
Alex yearned for access to these privileges and dreamed of starting a family with Isabella in the inner region. However, he lacked the skills and accomplishments to catch the attention of the inner region's elites. It seemed like a fading dream.
However, tonight, everything could change if he awakened as a guardian.
What exactly is a Guardian, and what sets them apart from others?
Guardians were a rare breed of individuals with the extraordinary capacity to harness the supernatural power that plagued their world. They served as the true defenders of the strongholds, shielding the remnants of humanity from the encroaching darkness.
However, for Alex, the possibility of joining their ranks seemed incredibly remote. The chances of him awakening as a Guardian were slim at best. The scarcity of these exceptional beings underscored their significance and made their presence all the more remarkable.